Tool



Patented Jan. 11, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT CFFICE TOOL John William Slayton, Jr., Pittsburgh, Pa. Application December 16, 1946, Serial No. 716,463

This application relates to tools of the class which have a striking head and a handle to which the head is secured and by which the head is driven to strike a blow. Typical tools of this class are hammers, hatchets, axes, mallets, etc.

My invention is directed to means for holding the head on the handle in a secure manner. It is particularly useful for hammers, especially machinists hammers, and therefore will be described with reference thereto although it is to be understood that it can be used to great advantage in other tools of the class reierredto.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated certain present preferred embodiments of my invention in which,

Figure lis a front elevation View of a hammer embodying my invention, a portion of the handle being removed; y

Figure 2 is an end view of the hammer shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 1 but with portions thereof shown in vertical section;

Figure 4 is a plan view with certain portions removed;

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 3 of a modioation oi my invention;

Figure 6 is a plan view of the `hammer Shown in Figure 5 with certain portions removed;

Figure is a View similar to that in Figure 3 showing a second modification of my invention;

Figure 8 is a plan View ci the hammer shown in Figure 'l with certain portions removed; and

Figure 9 isr a vertical section on the lines IX IX oi Figure '7.

A hammer constructed in accordance with my invention comprises a head II having a striking face I2, a peening face I'3 and an eye I4. As shown in Figures 4, 6 and 8, a rectangular-shaped recess Iii longer and wider than the eye is cut in the outer face of the head. A cap I6 ts within the recess extending beyond the sides of the eye I4. The cap is held in the recess by two screws l1. The hammer also has a handle I8, the outer end of which is inserted into the eye I4.

In the embodiment shown in Figures 1, 2, 3 and n 4 of the drawings, the hammer further includes a wedge I9 which is inserted into the eye I4 between the end of the handle I8 which is within the eye and a side of the eye which is generally parallel to the striking face of the hammer. As shown in Figure 3 the wedge increases in thickness from the outer to the inner face of the head and is bent over at its outer end to form a. laterally extending flange 20. As shown in Figures 1 7 claims. (c1. 306-33) and 2 the depth of the recess I5 is increased at one end to accommodate the flange 20.

One side of the outer end of the handle I8 is shaped so that it will Contact the wedge I9 throughout the full length of the wedge. A leaf spring 2lr is placed between the cap I8 and the end of the handle I8 and curved so that when the cap I6 is in place the spring 2l continuously presses the handle I8 inwardly against the wedge I9. The spring thus compensates for any shrinkage which may occur in the handle during use.

Figures 5 and 6 show a hammer which is generally similar to the one shown in Figures 1 to 4. In addition, however, it has a second wedge 22 which is placed between the handle I8 and a side of the eye opposite from the wedge I9. This second wedge 22 decreases in thickness from the outer to the inner faces of the head II, but its slope is considerably less than the slope of the wedge I9 so that the head Il cannot slip oli the handle I8 after the hammer is assembled. The outer end of the wedge 22 carries a leaf spring 23 which presses downwardly against the handle I8 and thus holds the handle against the wedge I'9. Both wedges I9 and 22 are held within the eye by the cap I6.

As shown in Figures 4 and 6, the two sides of the eye which extend across the head II in a direction generally parallel with the striking face I2 of the hammer are not of the same width, the side nearest the striking face being wider so that the other two sides 24 converge towards each other. The end of the handle i8 which ts within the eye is shaped so as to conform to the slope of the sides 24. Inward pressure of the handle I8 against the wedge I9, which is caused by the cap I5 and the spring 2l, also wedges the handle I8 against the sides 24 and thus further insures a tight secure fit of the handle within the eye.

In the embodiment shown in Figures 7, 8 and 9, the eye I4 does not have the converging sides as described above in connection with Figures 4 and 6. To insure a tight nt between the handle and the eye a wedge 25 is inserted in a plane generally at right angles to the wedge I8. The thickness of this wedge increases from the outer to the inner faces of the wedge as does the wedge I8. The outer end of the wedge is bent over to form a flange 25 which is held between the head II and thecap It, the depth of the recess I5 being increased along one side to accommodate this flange. A side of the outer end of the handle I 8 is notched as shown at 2l to accommodate the wedge 25 and thus avoid the head being carried slightly off center on the handle I8.

The manner of assembling all three embodiments is generally the same. The handle I8 is inserted into the eye from the inner face of the head until it extends beyond the head. The 'wedge i9 is placed against the end of the handle I8. The wedge and the handle are then pulled together into the eye. The spring 2l is placed against the endof the handle I8 and the cap I6 is screwed down in place against the spring 2|. In the embodiment shown in Figures 5 and 6, the wedge 22 and spring 23 are placed against the handle I8 and brought down into the eye along with the wedge I9 and handle i8., In the embodiment shown in Figures 7, 8 and 9, the wedge 2li is placed against the side of the end of the handle i 9 and brought down into theeye with the wedge I9 and handle I8.

From the foregoing description it is apparent that I provide a means for holding the head of a hammer on a handle in asccure and relatively permanent manner'. At thesarne time the head may be readily removed should it be desirable tov do so. lt is not necessary to drive wedges into i 'the handle ashas heretofore been customary to secure a head toahandle. It is thus possible to impregnato the end' of the handle to reduce shrinkage oi the handle within the eye. If wedges are driven into the handle end, it is not feasible to impregnato the handle because the brittle portion of the handle splits and the splits carried along a substantial length of the handle.

The head oi a hammer embodying my invention does not require as deep an eye as those utilizing prior methods of securing a head to a handle, and therefore the'portion of the head around. the eye does not have to be as deep as orior hammers. This permits the manufacture of hammer heads vby machining from standard bar stock instead of by the more expensive method of forging which has heretofore been used. liiachining: the heads makes closer-manufacturing ltolerances possible than with forging, and individual fittings of a handle to' a head are avoided. ThusV mass production methods of manufacture may be used.

.Although I have described certain present pre- `erred embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that it may be otherwise embodied within. the scope of the following claims.

l. A tool of the classk described comprising a head having an eye, a handle one fend of which f, be inserted into. said eye, a wedge. between said end and said eye, the wedge increasing in thickness from the outer to the inner face of the head, one side of said handle end having a sloping ace cooperating with said wedge, and re- ;nt means for applying pressure. 'between the wedge and the handle end.

2. A tool of the class described comprising a head having an eye, a handle one end of which can be inserted into said eye, a wedge between said end and said eye, the wedge increasing in thickness from the outer to the inner face of the head, o-ne side of said handle end having, a sloping face cooperating with said wedge, resilient means for pressing said handle end inwardly against the wedge, and means for holding said wedge in the eye.

3. A tool of the class described comprising a head having an eye, a handle one end of which can be inserted into said eye, a Wedge between said end and said eye, the wedge increasing in thickness from the outer to the inner face of the head, one side of said handle end having a sloping face cooperating with said wedge, a cap extending across the outer end of the eye and secured tc the head to hold the wedge in the eye and a spring betwe-en said cap and said handle end for pressi-ngthehandley against the wedge 4. A toolv .ofL the class described comprising a head having an eye, the sides of the eye being 4parallel to its central axis, a handle one end of Awhich can be inserted into said eye, a wedge between said end and said eye, the wedge increasing in thickness from the outer to the inner face of the head, one side of said handle end having a sloping face cooperating with said wedge, a cap extending across the outer end of the eye and secured to the head to hold the wedge in the eye.

5. A tool of the. class described comprising a head' having an eye a handle. one end of which canfbe inserted. into said eye, one of the two sides of the eye which extend across the head being wider than the other such side, a wedge between said' handle end and" the wider of the two said sides of the eye, the wedge increasing in thickness from the outer to the inner face of the head, the outer end of the handle being shaped to nt within the eye'and to cooperate with the wedge, and resilient means for applying pressure between the wedge and the handle end.

6. A tool of the class described comprising a headhaving anv eye, a handle one end of which can be inserted into said eye, a wedge between said handle end and one side of said eye, the wedge increasing in thickness from the outer to the inner face of the head, a second wedge between said handle end and the side of the eye opposite to that in contact with the wedg said second wedge decreasing in thickness from the outer to the inner face of the head, a spring secured vto said second wedge and arranged to press inwardly on the handle end, and means for holding both wedges in the eye.

7. A tool of the class described comprising a head having an eye, a handle one end of which can be insertedinto said eye, a wedge between said handle end and said eye, the wedge increasing in thickness from the outer to the inner face of the' head, asecond wedge between said handle end and said' eye and in a plane generally at right angles to the first wedge, said second wedge also increasing in thickness from the outer to the inner face ofthe head, two sides of said handie end being sloped to cooperate with said wedges and means forholding both wedges in the eye.

t JOI-IN WILLIAM SLAYTON, JP..

iiheiollowing references are of record in the rile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 182,573 Goubert Sept. 26,A i876 954,259 ACovert Apr. 5, 1910 1,339,638` Velchansky May ll, 1929 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 91,924 Switzerland Apr. l, 1938 

